News Team member Manju Karthikeyan discusses the science behind recent natural disasters and the role of future generations in fighting climate change in the face of political adversity.
23andMe bankruptcy filing sparks privacy fears as DNA data of millions goes up for sale
By Kevin Collier, NBC News
The popular genetic testing company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, sparking concerns regarding users’ DNA and genetic information privacy. 23andMe was founded in 2006 to help users understand their disposition to diseases and connect with genetic relatives. The database of genetic material that 23andMe has created over the past twenty years is now set to be sold following the company’s recent bankruptcy filing.
A spokesperson for 23andMe released a statement that 23andMe plans to follow all relevant United States laws and regulations, but data privacy experts and advocates remain concerned. Genetic data lawfully acquired and held by technology companies is hardly regulated, so promises to adhere to federal laws and regulations do not assuage the concerns of data privacy experts and advocates. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulates how health data can be stored and shared in the United States, but this provision only applies when that medical information is held by a doctor’s office or insurance company. HIPAA does not apply to technology companies, even if they possess sensitive patient data.
In a recent statement issued by the California Department of Justice, Attorney General Rob Banta provided instructions detailing how 23andMe users can instruct the company to delete their test samples and revoke access for use of their data in third-party research studies. The imminent sale of 23andMe should remind individuals to be mindful of how and where individuals choose to share their personal data and sensitive information.
— by Harleigh Markowitz
NIH’s very bad week
Erin Schumaker and Carmen Paun, POLITICO
Approximately 1,200 NIH staffers were fired this past week. These numbers will continue to rise according to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.– with plans to cut an additional 10,000 employees, making up 20 percent of the HHS workforce. Members of the current administration justify this plan, claiming it will centralize communication and human resources across the NIH’s 27 different institutes and centers.
Others, however, claim that this will only drain current leadership. Top authorities, such as the Director of the Human Genome Research Institute, Dr. Eric Green, were directly dismissed from the NIH . Senior NIH staffers, like Tara Schwetz, were placed on administrative leave. Other officials, like Lawrence Tabak, Dr. Michael Lauer, and Dr. Francis Collins resigned from their respective positions.
Thankfully, new leadership is coming in– with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya was appointed as the newest director for the NIH, with the Senate confirming his position with a 53-47 vote. The future of the NIH and scientific research in the United States remains split and unclear.
— by Manju Karthikeyan
Pregnancy’s true toll on the body: huge birth study paints most detailed picture yet
By Celeste Biever, Nature News
A new study published in Science Advances mapped the effects of pregnancy on women’s bodies through a series of blood, urine, and other tests. About 300,000 women underwent testing before, during, and more than a year after pregnancy. The study revealed that women’s bodies take longer to recover from pregnancy than people tend to assume. Further, various pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and gestational diabetes currently diagnosed during pregnancy could be detected before conception.
Anonymized medical records from 2003 to 2020 were taken from Israel’s largest health-care provider to map the body’s experience of pregnancy and childbirth. Results of 76 common tests, including measures of cholesterol, immune system activity, and metabolism were taken.
About 47 percent of indicators stabilized within the first month of pregnancy, but 41 percent took longer than 10 weeks to stabilize. This suggests the body has a slow recovery after childbirth, particularly with cholesterol levels and bone and liver health.
Additionally, several indicators never returned to their optimal values by the time the study ended 80 weeks after childbirth. The study serves as a stepping stone to understand the physiological cost of having a baby and uncover new insights about pregnancy.
— by Ananya Dash
Utah becomes the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water
By Associated Press, CNN
Utah Governor Spencer Cox recently signed legislation to ban fluoride in public drinking water into state law. Utah is the first state to remove fluoride from public water sources, defying recommendations by dentists and health organizations across the country. The ban, which will officially take place on May 7th, follows a long campaign by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. against water fluoridation. Similar proposals have been made by lawmakers in Ohio, South Carolina, and Florida, none of which have been signed into law.
Fluoridated water is considered the most cost-effective method of large scale cavity prevention, strengthening the teeth and replacing minerals lost through normal wear and tear, according to the CDC. The American Dental Association has criticized the Utah Governor and Utah lawmakers, stating that cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease. The sponsor of the Utah legislation stated that fluoride had benefits, but that it should be an individual’s choice whether to consume it or not. Opponents warn that the ban will disproportionately affect low-income residents who may rely on fluoridated water as their sole source of preventative dental care.
— by Stephanie Oehler
Items summarized by: Harleigh Markowitz, Manju Karthikeyan, Ananya Dash, Stephanie Oehler
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